This is the most positive thing about religion -- and religion and politics -- I've seen in a long time: James Dobson Doesn't Speak For Me 

Dr. James Dobson recently attacked Barack Obama for a 2006 speech that Obama gave on his Christian faith. Does he speak for you?

James Dobson doesn't speak for me.

He doesn't speak for me when he uses religion as a wedge to divide;

He doesn't speak for me when he speaks as the final arbiter on the meaning of the Bible;

James Dobson doesn't speak for me when he uses the beliefs of others as a line of attack;

He doesn't speak for me when he denigrates his neighbor's views when they don't line up with his;

He doesn't speak for me when he seeks to confine the values of my faith to two or three issues alone;

What does speak for me is David's psalm celebrating how good and pleasant it is when we come together in unity;

Micah speaks for me in reminding us that the Lord requires us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him;

The prophet Isaiah speaks for me in his call for all to come and reason together and also to seek justice, encourage the oppressed and to defend the cause of the vulnerable;

The book of Nehemiah speaks for me in its example to work with our neighbors, not against them, to restore what was broken in our communities;

The book of Matthew speaks for me in saying to bless those that curse you and pray for those who persecute you;

The words of the apostle Paul speak for me in saying that words spoken and deeds done without love amount to nothing.

The apostle John speaks for me in reminding us of Jesus' command to love one another. The world will know His disciples by that love.

These words speak for me. But when James Dobson attacks Barack Obama, James Dobson doesn't speak for me.

Me, neither. If it needs to be said.

There's also a great point-by-point debunking of Dobson's attacks on Obama's speech.

The site is put together by "a coalition of pastors and other Christians" (speaking for themselves, not for their congregations or denominations). You can electronically "sign" the statement, too.

Good stuff.

Filed under :: Elections 2008 :: Religion :: Religion - Me
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That was an excellent article.

As an atheist it wouldn't make any sense for me to sign it, but I do appreciate those who have. I want to think that Dobson is an aberration, but he is a well-funded and politically savvy one with a heck of a lot of influential followers. He seems to want to pervert not only the constitution but Christianity as well.